Fletcher Capstan Tables

Specifications | Design History | Pricing

You can download video showing the our revolutionary tables in action. (Quicktime Required)

The expanding table shown here is the result of many years of modern development, but also follows a line of history of more than one and a half centuries. This, the Fletcher Capstan Table, is unique.

It is a round table, which at the press of a button, amazingly doubles its seating capacity and, just as astonishingly, remains truly circular. Very importantly it stores its expansion leaves within itself. Existing tables can seat six persons when small, and twelve or more when expanded, but there are other design possibilities. Operation, which has been described as ‘pure magic’ by Boat International magazine, really is a sight to behold and extremely quick, it taking mere seconds to complete an entire expansion or reduction cycle.

The original idea for a table of this type was formed in the nineteenth century by a man named Robert Jupe, who patented his design in 1835. This table was initially round, and had an ingenious geometry and a similarly ingenious method of making it expand radially, changing from a small size, to a table of larger diameter. However, Jupe’s tables could not store their own expansion leaves, were not always truly round, and were slow and laborious to operate. The idea was wonderful though and was a source of inspiration and re-invention.

Our geometry is similar in concept, but radically different. It’s intricacy changes, according to the species of timber used, as the table metamorphoses from small to large, and vice versa. When small, the top is made up of six pie shaped leaves, and an outer skirt in the manner of a drum table. Under this first layer lie two more layers of leaves, the first strata made up of six arrow shaped leaves and, under that, a large star shaped leaf. Below all of this lies the magical mechanism, constructed throughout in a combination of aluminium and stainless steel, and strikingly beautiful in its mechanical complexity. The whole assembly is supported on a base of varying design.

The table operates electrically from a pocket sized remote control transmitting unit, every part of the operation being entirely automatic. Bases can even be made to vary in height, this rising and falling being seamless with the expansion process. Operation metamorphoses the table, almost before you know it, into an entirely different mode and appearance, and can just as easily be reversed.

The motors controlling the mechanism run on low voltage, which can be supplied from a re-chargeable battery housed within the table’s base. This battery is easily removed for re-charging and installation of the second supplied battery. For yacht installations, the table can run on its own batteries, or be connected to the ship’s electrical supply.

Many high technology materials and advanced manufacturing procedures have been employed in manufacture. Components are made to a high degree of precision, and hand craftsmanship is to the best British tradition.

All tables are individually designed and built, and each one numbered.

PATENT GRANTED. DESIGN RIGHT.